Shedding mechanism for looms



April 7,- 1953 w. R. HEWTON SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1951 I IN VEN TOR: Wham/{He [02012, (if. p@ (:24

A TTORNEYS.

April 7, 1953 w. R. HEWTON 2,633,874

YSHEDDYING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 24, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m if INVENTOR: J25 mZfimK/Yewfom BY {21 g (2.2.

ATTORNEYS.

April 7, 1953 w. R. HEWTON SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 24 1951 g mwO m MH pw N Patented Apr. 7, 1953 SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS William R. Hewton, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Collins & Aikman Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application January 24, 1951, Serial No. 207,599

17 Claims.

This invention relates to shedding mechanisms for looms and particularly to means for providing automatic reverse motion for such mechanisms. More specifically, it is concerned with shedding mechanism of the head motion or dobby type, wherein the warp harnesses are raised and lowered to'change the sheds, as required during the weaving, by means of jack which are selected for operation in a prescribed order through interposed actuating instrumentalities, under control of an intermittently-progressed pattern chain. In the event of a mispick or weft failure, due either to rupture or bobbin exhaustion, the loom must be reversed and the pattern chainof the head motion must be re-set to operate the warp harnesses in proper timed relation when weaving is resumed after recovery and tying of the broken weft ends, or after weft replenishment, as the case may be. With shedding mechanisms as ordinarily constructed, numerous time-consuming adjustments hav to be made before the head motion can be re-set, requiring the exercise of considerable skillon the part of the loom'atspecial skill on the part of the weaver; and which is operable by power incident to effecting the reversal. The reversing and r esetting is thus accomplished with a minimum loss of time and minimum curtailment in the output of the loom.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig, l is a fragmentary view in end elevation of a loom embodying a preferred form of the improved shedding mechanism ofmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation looking as indicated by the angled arrows 11-11 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the angled arrows III1'II in Fig. l.

Fig. 415 a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken' as indicated by the angled arrows .IV IV in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the head 7 motion in longitudinal section.

2 J Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view in top plan looking as indicated by the angled arrows VI-'VI in Fig. l, with certain parts shown in section,

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the loom showing a means for bringing the crank shaft of the loom to a definite stoppoint in its rotation in preparation for reversal of the shedding mechanism; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken as indicated by the angled arrows VIIIVIII in Fig. '7.

With more detailed reference, first more particularly to Figs. 1 and 5 of these illustrations, the usual jacks by which the shedding harnesses (not shown) are raised and lowered in the weaving are designated 1, said jacks being arranged side by side for independent rocking movement on a nonrotating shaft 2 extending transversely between the side frames 3 of the head motion of the loom. Functioning of the jacks I is selectively controlledby risers and sinkers 4, 4a, variously arranged on the cros rods5 of a pattern chain 5 which is trained about sprocket wheels! on a transverse: shaft 8 journalled in fixed bracket 9. The jacks I are actuated under control of pattern chain 6, as is customary, through means including a set of overlying vibrator levers I0 which are fulcrumed' for independent movement on another fixed cross shaft l l, and which medially of their lengths and at their bottoms, have cam lugs lila for engagement by the risers andsinkers 4, to on the chain 6. Each vibrator lever H! carries a mutilated spur pinion l2 with an eccentrically disposed crankpin l3 thereon connected by a link I5 to. the upright arm of a correspondin jack I, said;

pinion being restricted to a semirotation by virtue of'having an arcuate slot l6 therein to cooperate withv a lateral stop stud H on said lever. The head motion further includes the usual mutilated cylinder gears 2t, 2! Which are afiixed respectivelyto transverse shafts 22, 23 journalled in the side frames 3, shaft 22 being provided at one end with a hand wheel 24 whereby it may be manually rotated. Through bevel gear couples 25, 25, the shafts 22 and 23 are constantly rotated during the weaving, from a vertically arranged shaft 27. Secured to chain sprocket shaft 8 at the end thereof nearest the observer in Fig. 1, is a mutilated wheel 30 whichis actuated through successive engagement of its round-bottomed peripheral notches. by a roller at the end of a short crank arm 3! on a constantly revolving subjacent shaft 32 rotatively supported in bracket 9. Normally, during the weaving, the several shafts thus far referred to turn in the directions of the ar rows thereon in Fig, 1, all of them deriving their s; motion from the crank shaft 33 of the loom in a manner and by means presently described. A reversible electric motor is shown at as in Fig. '7 as a power means for driving the loom.

It is to be noted, that, in accordance with my invention, vertical shaft 2! has afiixed to its lower end, a bevel gear pinion 35 that meshes with opposingly arranged bevel gears 3,5 and 31 on a horizontal transmission shaft 38 journalled in stationary bearings 39 at a level somewhat below the crank shaft 33. As best seen in Fig. 3, the gears 35 and 3'! are held against axial displacement on shaft 33 by collars 39, All set-screwed and keyed to said shaft. Likewise loosely mounted on shaft 38 are slide collars ll and 2 with eccentrically-disposed studs 43, M which pass through fixed collars 39, II and which are adapted to engage respectively into correspondinglydisposed apertures 45, all in the bevel gears 36, 51. The collars AI, 42 are circumferentially grooved for engagement by the forked arms 4?, '48 of a clutch yoke 49 which is shiftable endwise on a stationary parallel shaft 50 supported in bearings 5I. Normally, collars II and 2 occupy the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 3, i. e. with pin -43 entered into gear 36, and with pin 44 retracted from gear 31. Under these conditions gear 35 will act as the driver for pinion while gear 31 rotates idly about shaft 38. For reverse actuation of the shedding mechanism as later on explained, clutch yoke 69 is shifted leftward inFig. 3 to couple gear 3? to shaft 38 with release, at the same time, of gear 36, whereupon on reversal of crank shaft 33, the vertical shaft 2'! will be rotated in the same direction as before. The ball thrust bearings shown at 52 and 53 in Fig. 3 take the end thrust of shaft 38 when collars 4| and 42 are shifted as just described. As a means for effecting this shifting, I have provided a horizontally-arranged hand lever 55 which is fulcrumed at 55 on the frame 57 of the loom at a location convenient to the weaver. Lever 55 is connected, by means of a horizontal link 58, to one arm of a motion-translating bell crank lever 59 whereof the other arm is connected inturn, by a drop link Bil, to the horizontal extremity 6! of a tri-arm 52, see Fig. 1. As shown, tri-arm 62 is fulcrumed on a fixed stud 63 on the loom frame, its upward extremity 55 being longitudinally slotted to engage a lateral stud projection 66 on the boss of sleeveportion of clutch yoke 49. Hand lever 55 is flexible so as to be selectively engageable withrestraining notches 51, 58 in a keeper projection 69 on the loom frame.

The drive connections for the shaft 32 of the pattern chain progressing means include a spiral gear wheel IE on said shaft, and an intermeshing spiral gear wheel H at one end of a horizontal shaft I2 rotatively supported in stationary bearings I3 and M. A miter gear pinion 15 at the opposite end of shaft 12 meshes with a companion pinion 16 at the top of another vertical shaft 17 which likewise is journalled in fixed bearings 18 and F9 on the frame of the loom. A miter gear pinion 83 at the lower end of shaft I? meshes, in turn, with a companion miter gear BI which is free on shaft 58. Gear BI is secured to a spur wheel 82 in mesh with a spur wheel 83 which, together with a somewhat larger spur wheel 85, is keyed to shaft 38. Spur wheel 85 meshes with a spur wheel 85 loose on a counter shaft 8'? (Figs. 2 and 4) which is journalled in stationary bearings 88 and 59, and which is drivon, through a pair of intermeshing spur gears Gil a and 9|, from the crank shaft 33 of the loom. Spur wheel 86 has an eccentrically-disposed aperture 92 (Fig. 4) adapted to be entered by a crank pin 93 on a rotatively-free but shiftable collar 95 on shaft 81, said pin passing through a collar 96 which is set screwed and keyed to said shaft alongside said spur wheel. Clutch collar 95 is engaged by a shifting fork 9! on a shaft 538 rotatively supported in a pair of spaced stationary bearings 55, I06. Secured to shaft 98, between the bearings 95 and IE0, is a gear sector IIII that meshes with a spur pinion I02 on a shaft I03 borne in lateral bracket projects I05 and IE6 of said bearings. Shaft IE3 is rockable by means of a hand lever IIlI between limits imposed by stops I08, I59 on the bracket projection I05, to shift the clutch collar 95, said hand lever being weighted as at I II! for maintenance against accidental displacement from either position to which it may be thrown.

From Fig. 6, it will be noted that wheel 30 of the pattern chain actuating mechanism is loose on shaft 8 and has a miter gear pinion III affixed to its hub sleeve. An arm H2 fulcrumed for independent movement about shaft 8, carries a freely-rotative miter gear pinion H3 which meshes not only with the pinion I I I, but also with a pinion H5 pinned to said shaft. By means of a drop link H6 (Fig. 1) the arm H2 is coupled with an arm I ll fast on a shaft I I8 which latter is rockable in stationary bearings I IS. A second arm I25 on shaft H8 is coupled by means of a short horizontal link IZI to the pendant extremity I22 of the tri-arm I32 previously referred to. By the arrangement just described, the pattern chain actuating shaft 8 is turned counterclockwise in Fig. 1 through a partial rotation, as will be presently seen, when hand lever 55 (Fig. 3) is thrown to reversely operate the shedding mechanism. The weight indicated at I25 tends to restore the shaft I I8 and the parts connected thereto to the normal position in which they are shown in Fig. 1..

During weaving, crank shaft 33 rotates clockwise as indicated at the arrow in Fig. 3, and in order to determine a definite stop position for it in preparation for reversal of the shedding mechanism, I have provided the means disclosed in Figs. 7 and 8. As shown, this means includes a detent I39 which is pivoted at IEI on the loom framework, and which is adapted to cooperate with the stop projection or tooth I32 of a collar I33 affixed, by means of a plurality of circumferentially-a-rranged screws I36, to a spur gear I35 on the crank shaft 33. Detent I30 normally occupies the lowered position in which it is illustrated in full lines in Fig. '7, but can be raised to the broken line position through engagement of a radical lug I36 on its hub by the downwardly and rea-rwardly directed end I3! of a rod I38 which is sustained for horizontal sliding movement in fixed guides I39, I40 on the loom framework, and which is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever MI fulcrumed at I42. The other arm of cell crank lever is! is coupled, by a drop link I 33, with an arm M5 fulcrumed at I46 on the loom framework. A tension spring H31, influential uponv arm hi5, is relied upon to normally maintain the parts I33, MI and I43 positioned to allow the detent to take its lowered active position, with a control treadle extension I48 of said arm stopped against a lateral stud projection M9 on the framework of the loom. By depressing the pedal I48, the detent I30 will be raised from the active position in which it is 5 shown in Fig. 7 to clear the stop projection I32 of collar I33.

v The let-off motion, the take-up motion and the weft detector stop motion of the loom may be of any of the well-known and approved prior art constructions and have therefore not been illustrated; and it is to be assumed, that the loom is provided with manual switch means for controlling. the motor 34 in forward and reverse driving the loom as well as jogging the loom either forwardly or reversely.

Operation Let it be assumed that the loom has been stopped upon detection of shuttle exhaustion or breaking of the weft thread. Upon occurrence of such contingency, the weaver starts drive motor 34 in reverse under jog control, whereby crank shaft 33 is inched about counterclockwise in Fig. 7, until stopped by engagement of the tooth B2 on collar 33 with detent 130 as in Fig. 7. As a result, the various moving parts of the shedding mechanism will be positioned in readiness for clutch shifting by means of the hand lever 55 (Fig. 3) which is then thrown to Reverse and locked into recess 5'! of the keeper projection 69. As" lever 55 is so thrown, yoke 49 will be shifted to the left in Fig. 3, whereby bevel gear 36 will be released from shaft 38 and bevel gear 3? clutched to said shaft. At the same time, 1

through the linkage 58, 59, 60, 6!, I22, I2I; 120, H! and I Hi, arm l l2 will be moved downward to the broken line positionin Fig. 1. By incidental action of the differential gear set Ill, H3, H5

(Fig. 6) a partial turn will be imparted counterclockwise to pattern chain sprocket shaft 8 alone, i. e., independently of notched wheel 30. As a consequence, pattern chain 6 will be backed off by one step. With this preparation, foot treadle M8 is depressed to'lift detent I33 to its retracted position and the loom jogged to operate by power in reverse. Shafts Tl, i2, 32 will be rotated in reverse and through arm 3| and notched wheel 36, pattern chain 6 will be backed off one step for each reverse rotation of crank shaft 33. During this re-setting'of the head motion, the direction of rotation of cylinder gear shafts 22 and 23 will remain the same as during normal operation of the loo-m, due to substitution of bevel gear 3! for bevel gear 36 to drive vertical shaft 21 brought about by the shifting of clutch yoke 49."

The number of times pattern chain 6 is stepped back will of course depend upon the extent that the loom has over-run after weft failure. In any event, the corrective procedure will be terminated with crank shaft 33 positioned as in Fig. 7, i. e'.',' with the collar I32 stopped by detent I38, when clutch pin 43 on collar as (Fig 3) will again be in line with hole 45 in bevel gear 36. With this accomplished, the broken weft ends are tied together'or a new weft supply provided in the shuttle as may be required; whereupon hand lever 55 is returned to the Forward position for restoration of all of the parts of the drive mechanism to' the normal positions in which they are illustrated in full lines in the drawings, with incidental advance of thepattern by a single step. The loom 4, whereby'clutch 951s shifted to release spur wheel 86 on shaft 81. The head motion can then be operated alone by means of hand whee1 24, without the necessity for exertion of undue manual effort on the part of the loom attendant.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a novel head motion drive mechanism in which the usual harness actuating means is driven from a rotating shaft separate from the shaft which actuates the pattern control mechanism. On reversal of the drive shaft of the main power source for driving the loom, the direction of rotation of the harness actuating shaft may be maintained constant throughout operation by means which I have devised, while the shaft for operating the pattern control means undergoes a reversal in direction. It will furthermore be seen that I have provided interconnecting means by which the pattern control means is automatically backed off or advanced when the means for maintaining constant direction of rotation of the harness actuating shaft is operated.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown in the drawings and described in the specification, it is intended that equivalent means for effecting the novel operation and control of the present invention shall be included Within its scope as defined in the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a loom, a head motion including pattern control means and harness actuating means, a source of power for driving said loom, reversing means operatively connected with said source of power, means including a rotatable shaft operatively connecting said power source with said pattern control means and means including a separate rotatable shaft operatively connecting said power source with said harness actuating means, rotatable control means for maintaining whereby said pattern control means is backed on.

operation of said rotational control means in one direction and advanced on operation of said rotational control means in the other direction.

2. The invention according to claim 1, further characterized by means for operating said pattern control means, and means whereby said pattern control is backed by a single step on operation of said rotational control means in one direction and advanced by a single step on operation of said rotational control means in the other di-- rection. a

3. The invention according to claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said pattern control backing and advancing means includes a dif ferential gear set automatically moveable on op-- eration of said rotational control means.

4. In shedding mechanism for a loom having a main drive shaft, said mechanism comprisingflapluralityof harness lifting jacks; a pair of cylin der gears and interposed selective instrumentalities through which the jacks are actuated from the cylinder gears; pattern mechanism including a sprocket chain adapted to be moved through a definite increment thereby variantly selecting said instrumentalities for successive shed changes during weaving; a transmission shaft deriving its rotation from the drive shaft drive connections throughwhich' the chain is operated as aforesaid from trietrans'missicn shaft; "a pair of opposingly arranged bevel gears free on the transmission shaft; a'take-off shaft through which rotary motionis imparted to the cylinder gears; a bevel pinion fixed upon the take-01f shaft in constant mesh with the opposed bevel gears on the transmission shaft; and a clutch whereby the opposed bevel gears can be selectively clutched to the transmissionshaft so that the direction of rotation of the cylinder gears will not be changed when the drive shaft and the pattern chain are reversed to re-set the loom in making corrections for weft failure.

5.- The invention, according to claim 4, wherein the drive shaft is powered by a reversible electric motor.

"6. The invention, according to claim 4, wherein the loom is powered by a reversible electric motor; and further including manual clutch means for releasing and engaging the gear connections be tween the drive shaft and the transmission shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.

'7'. The invention accordance to claim 4.-, further including means for determining a definite stop position in the rotation of the drive shaft so that the bevel gears on the transmission shaft will be i in proper register for release of one and coupling of the other as the clutch is operated.

8. The invention, according to claim 4, further including means for determining a definite stop position in the rotation of the drive shaft so that the bevel gears on the transmission shaft will be in proper register for release of one and coupling of the other as the clutch is thrown, the last mentioned means including a fixed collar on the drive shaft having a radially projecting stop tooth, a d etent to cooperate with the said tooth, and treadle means for controlling the detent.

9. The invention, according to claim 4, further including means automatically operative to back off the pattern chain sprocket by one step as the a clutch is thrown preparatory to reversing the shedding mechanism to re-set the latter upon weft failure.

l0. In shedding mechanism for a loom capable ofbeing reversed for re-setting in the event of l thereby variantly selecting said selectors for suc- 5 cessive actuations of the harnesses; a shaft with a sprocket affixed thereto about which the pattern chain is trained; drive means for rotating the sprocket shaft; means operative at the initiation of loom reversal to reversely rotate the sprocket shaft and thereby back oif the chain to the extent of one increment of movement, and, at the completion of the reversal to advance said chain by one increment. I 7

11. In shedding mechanism for a loom capable of being reversed for re-setting in the event of weft failure, said mechanism comprising a plurality cf harness lifting jacks; actuating means including selectors for said jacks; a pattern chain adapted to be moved through a definite increment in variantly selecting said selectors for successive actuations of the harnesses; 'a shaft with a sprocket afiixed thereto about which the pattern chain is trained; drive 'means for rotating the sprocket shaft; means operative at the initiation of loom reversal to reversely rotate the sprocket shaft and thereby back off the chain to the extent of one increment, and, at the completion of the reversal, to advance said chain by one incremen-t said means including a loose wheel on the sprocket shaft and differential gear means with a bevel pinion carried by an arm also free on the sprocket shaft inmesh with oppositely-arranged bevel gears respectively afilxed to said shaft and said wheel; and means whereby said arm is moved at the initiation of loom reversal to effect, through the differential, reverse rotation of the sprocket shaft independently of the wheel thereon, for back stepping of the pattern chain to the extent of one increment, and whereby said arm is oppositely moved, at the completion of the reversal, to advance the chain by one increment.

12. In shedding mechanism for a loom with a main shaft capable of. being reversed for re-seting in m in the event of weft failure, said mechanism comprising a, plurality of harness lifting jacks; a pair of cylinder gears and interposed selective instrumentalities through which the jacks are operated from the cylinder gears; a driveshaft for imparting rotary movement to the gear cylinders; a pattern chain adapted to be moved through a definite increment each time in variantly selecting said instrumentalities for successive actuations of the harnesses; a shaft with a sprocket affixed thereto about which the pattern chain is trained; a Wheel loosely mounted on the sprocket shaft; differential gear means with a bevel pinion carried by an armalso loosely mounted on the sprocket shaft, in mesh with a pair of opposingly-arranged bevel gears respectively affixed to said shaft and to the wheel; a transmission shaft geared to the loom shaft; a drive shaft geared to the transmission shaft for rotating the wheel on the sprocket shaft; change gears interposed between the transmission shaft and the drive shaft for the cylinder gears; clutch means adapted to be operated in preparation for loom reversal to arrange the change gears so that the cylinder gears are rotated in the same direction during reversal as during normal weaving; and means automatically actuated by operation of the clutch means to move the arm aforesaid, whereby, through the differential gear means, the sprocket shaft is reversely rotated to back off the chain to the extent of one increment.

1 3. In shedding mechanism for a loom having a reversible drive means, said shedding mechanism including harness-actuating means; pattern control means for the harness actuating means, in terposed means through which the pattern means is operated from the loom drive means and reversed upon reversal of the loom in making correction for weft failures; and separate interposed means through which the harness actuating means is operated from the loom driving means in one direction both during normal weaving and during loomreversal.

14. Shedding mechanism, according to claim 13 in which the pattern means includes a chain adapted to be advanced by a definite increment for each harness actuation; and further comprising means automatically operative at the initiation of loom reversal, to step back the chain by one increment, and upon completion of the reversal to advance the chain by one increment before weaving is resumed.

15. In shedding mechanism for a loom having a reversible drive means, said shedding mechanism including harness-actuating means; pattern control means for the harness actuating means; a shaft with interposed gear connections through which the pattern means is operated from the loom drive means in one direction during normal weaving and in the opposite direction during loom reversal for correction of weft failure; a

separate shaft with interposed change gear connections through which the harness-actuating means is operated from the loom driving means in one direction both during normal weaving and during loom reversal.

16. Shedding mechanism, according to claim 15, in which the pattern means includes a chain adapted to be advanced by a definite increment for each harness actuation; and further comprising means automatically operative at the initiation of 100111 reversal, to step back the chain by one increment, and upon completion of the reversal to advance the chain by one increment before weaving is resumed.

17. In shedding mechanism for a loom having a drive shaft and reversible motor means for the drive shaft, said mechanism comprising a plurality of harness lifting jacks; a pair of cylinder gears and interposed selective instrumentalities through which the jacks are operated from the cylinder gears; a sprocket chain with means thereon for variously selecting said instrumentalities for operation during the weaving, a transmission shaft driven from the crank shaft of the loom,v separate drive connections through which the cylinder gears and the sprocket chain independently derive motion from the transmission shaft, and means whereby the drive connection to the cylinder gears can be set'so that said gears will not be reversed in direction of rotation when the shedding mechanism and the loom are reversed in making corrections for weft failure.

WILLIAM R. HEWTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 264,864 Crompton et al. Sept. 26, 1882 469,210 Hollingworth Feb. 16, 1892 810,680 Ryon Jan. 23, 1906 891,618 Hollingworth June 23, 1908 2,421,539 Clarke June 3, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 386,174 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1933 474,669 Great Britain Nov. 1, 1937 

